Coming off an 11-5 regular season and a playoff berth, the Falcons certainly have a strong foundation of talented young players. However, there’s always room for improvement through the draft, and general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith will be looking at certain areas of need when draft weekend kicks off on Saturday. The acquisition of tight end Tony Gonzalez ensures that the Falcons will be thinking defense with the early-round picks, as the addition of the future Hall of Famer gives the team another weapon on offense. Can the Falcons brass approach the level of success with this draft class as they had last year? Here’s a few of the names that could make that a possibility.
DEFENSE
Atlanta’s front office has already indicated that it intends to focus on the defense this offseason. And after staying quiet in free agency outside of the signing of Mike Peterson, it’s clear they intend to do the bulk of that work from the draft. With some holes to fill on a defense that was considered a bit of a liability at times last year, the team will be looking for players that can contribute sooner rather than later.
Secondary: The departures of Lawyer Milloy and Domonique Foxworth leave two starting spots up for grabs, and second-year man Chris Houston struggled down the stretch last season, especially in the long passing game. With all of those questions, expect the Falcons to address their secondary for at least a couple of picks this weekend. There figure to be a few strong corners available at No. 24. Vontae Davis would be the ideal pick if he’s available. A physical corner who flashed the ability to be a shutdown guy in coverage at Illinois, Davis would be just what the doctor ordered. His excellent gives him the ability to take some of the pressure off of Houston, especially against bigger receivers like he will see in the NFL. Davis won’t be the only option, as the position is one of the deepest in the draft. Wake Forest’s Alphonso Smith, UConn’s Darius Butler, or Vanderbilt’s D.J. Moore are all nice prospects, and at least a couple should still be around when Atlanta drafts in the second round.
Outside Linebacker: Mike Peterson will replace Keith Brooking at one outside linebacker position, but the other outside position is in question. The coaching staff loved Coy Wire, who provided much-needed contributions down the stretch. But it’s hard to envision the seven-year pro, who hasn’t been a consistent starter since his rookie season, would be the man on opening day (although it’s certainly possible). Atlanta started a rookie at linebacker last season in Curtis Lofton, and it worked out quite well, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see them go down that road again. Southern Call linebackers Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing will both be considered if they’re still on the board when Atlanta drafts. Matthews is a former walk-on with a non-stop motor, while Cushing was the more decorated of the two in college, earning second-team All-American honors last fall. Paul Kruger of Utah has the skills to be a solid linebacker with few weaknesses, and could be available in round two. Later picks could go to Cody Brown of Utah, or Jonathan Casillas of Wisconsin.
Defensive line: There figure to be several jobs open on the defensive line as well. Grady Jackson left the team, leaving a likely battle for his position in training camp. Peria Jerry is one of the quickest and most athletic tackles available, but he has durability issues. If Jerry can stay healthy, he could develop into an effective space-eater in the middle that could do wonders for the run defense. There are plenty of familiar names peppered throughout the rest of the class that could step in. SEC products Sen’Derrick Marks (Auburn), Ricky Jean-Francois (LSU) and Corvey Irvin (Georgia), could make solid additions. Dimitroff might also look for a little help at defensive end in the later rounds. The team might think about bringing in a player such as Georgia Tech’s Michael Johnson, who has all the tools but will take time to develop into a sound defensive end, or Ian Campbell, who accumulated over 100 tackles in his junior year before taking a step back last fall. Either could push Jamaal Anderson in camp for his starting spot.
OFFENSE
The offense appears to be in safe hands with Matt Ryan heading the charge and a talented group of wide receivers to catch the ball. There is always a need to build depth across the board, but only one true area of need remains on a steady and solid offensive unit.
Offensive Line: The Falcons overachieved up front last season, but they could still use some help here. Tyson Clabo could use some help at offensive tackle, and the position is loaded with talent in this year’s draft class. Ole Miss tackle Michael Oher would be hard to pass up if he’s available. Oher was a monster in college while lining up against some of the best defensive linemen the country had to offer in the SEC. He was also very good early in his college career, starting all four seasons in Oxford. Arizona’s Ebon Britton is a cerebral and durable tackle that might be available for a second- or third-rounder. Other names to look for are UConn’s William Beatty and Oklahoma’s Phil Loadholt.
Sleepers: There are always a few playmakers dispersed throughout the later rounds of the draft, and while Atlanta’s front office has made it fairly clear that it plans to spend most of its picks on the defense, Atlanta might take a flyer on at least a few of them in the latter stages of the draft to help round out the offense. Wide receiver Ramses Barden is a potential diamond in the rough. Although he played his football at Cal Poly, he has the body at 6-6, 230 pounds to develop into a nice option at wideout, and could produce as a red-zone target immediately. Proven college players such as Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill, at 6-7, 364 pounds, or 6-7, 365-pound offensive guard Herman Johnson of LSU, would be welcome additions to the roster.
Bagriansky can be reached at jbagriansky@scoreatl.com.
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